A primitive tribe in the 21st Century?

Amazon Tribe

KAT

"A human being is part of the whole...the universe. We experience thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. The delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of Nature in its beauty."- Albert Einstien

We believe it may be the only viable alternative...

New Guinea Tribe

REEF

GYMNOS began not as a tribe but as the idea for a commune with a land-base in SW Florida. Three years of hard work have produced a mini-paradise of fruit trees, gardens, and pleasant living space - with lots of room to share. But, over time it has become clear that Gymnos aims to become more of a modern tribe than a commune. The essential difference between the two, as we see it, is that a land-based tribe has a future primarily because of the life-long bonds of love and commitment felt between the members. It's an all in proposition.

Tribes are totally co-dependent in the healthy sense of that term. Many people come and go from ashrams, communes, cohousing and eco-villages - buying and selling property or moving on to other "experimental" ways of life. Primitive tribal people have never known ownership and therefore cannot conceive of independent living outside the completely open and cooperative environment of the tribe. Modernism has brought greater and greater focus on the self and on individual rights and this has separated us from one another so that no bonds are permanent because they are self-centered contracts easily broken. Modern life offers social contracts in selfishness rather than a joyful sense of belonging with others permanently!

The few primitive tribes still in existence like the ones depicted above (not including Kat and me, even though we aspire to lives of such simple integrity and natural harmony) are in many ways the last remaining people who have a primary relationship with nature and the survival skills necessary for such a life. While we don't intend to fully turn our backs on all elements of civilization, we do seek to have such a primary relationship and to find our common destiny shaped by Nature and Love.

We believe that money is at the root of a lot of the misery we see in the world. It would seem that neither wealth nor technology can heal the damage a money-based civilization is causing us. We believe that there is a solution that is radical and revolutionary but quietly so - a holistic solution that puts Nature and our relationship with her and one another at the forefront of sustainability and a meaningful existence. As such, we hope to create a modern land-based tribe of "all in" totally committed people who band together in opposition to the values offered by a collapsing culture!

We believe in common ownership, complete honesty and trust among ourselves and with each other, and in openness and curiosity in all aspects of life. We view all of nature, including our bodies, as good and beautiful expressions of Life. We find many of the trappings of modern life distasteful and unnecessary or even harmful. We believe Love has the power (perhaps the only power) to effect great positive change in the world and that by living the way we wish the world to become we not only find happiness for ourselves but have a chance to plant seeds of hope and love in the hearts and minds of all we meet. Becoming mindful, aware and compassionate is at the core of our life together and extends well beyond the merely practical. We see Tribal life as simple, sustainable, communal and deeply committed within itself and also to the Earth. Won't you visit us? Write to us? Add your voice? Most of all look at your own life, the daily grind, the binds you may be in, the worries about money or the shame or fear you carry, the longing for something simpler, joyful......free! Going naked is not just about clothes, it's about a totally honest and open life!